Interlocking extruded wall panelling



Apnl 16, 1963 E. J. DE RIDDER EIAL 3,

INTERLOCKING EXTRUDED WALL PANELLING Filed Nov. 27, 1959 '2 Sheets-Sheet1 ErngtJI DpRc'ddei;

BY I /4,

ATTORNE $3 INVENTORS:

April 16, 1-963 E. J. DE RIDDER ETAL 3,08 ,3 7

INTERLOCKING EXTRUDED WALL PANELLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27.1959 t m 6H w w a wa H 5 6 L A m WV W W WM VW M V /w y 2 6 Mm MM)ATTORNEYS.

3,085,367 INTERLGCKHNG EXTRUDEI) WALL PANELLING Ernst J. De Ridder andRex G. Early, Richmond, Va, assignors to Reynolds Metals Company,Richmond, Va, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, N59, filer. No.855,910 Claims. (Cl. 50-235) This invention relates to wall facing orpanelling sections and, more particularly, to extruded sections that areadapted to have snap-type interlocked joints therebetween.

Sheet metal wall sheathing members or panelling elements are known inthe art, but even though such elements may be installed relativelyeasily on a wall, the joints between the elements have not always beensatisfactory. In the past, not only have the sheathing or panellingfasteners been visible, but also the joints between the sheathingmembers have not been sufficiently watertight.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved wallsheathing or panel members that are especially adapted to be fabricatedby extruding processes and, preferably, are made of aluminum.

It is another object of this invention to provide ornamental wallsheathing or covering extrusions which have a snap-together tight jointtherebetween.

It is another object of this invention to provide wall panellingextrusions of the above character wherein the fasteners which secure thesame to a wall are concealed.

It is another object of this invention to provide wall sheathing orcovering extrusions of such a character that the extrusions can beinstalled in an alternative fashion to present one or the other sideoutwardly.

It is another object of this invention to provide wall sheathing orcovering members that are formed by an extruding process that permitswide variation in ornamental designs or characteristics of such members,and which also provides for economical assembly and installation on aWall.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of a wallcovered by interlocked panelling members embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through the wall 'and panellingshown in FIGURE 1, and illustrating the manner of assembling thepanelling members on the wall.

. FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional viewillustrating one of the interlocked joints between two adjacentpanelling members shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view corresponding to FIGURE '1 but illustrating theapplication of the panelling members to the wall with their other sidesfacing outward.

FIGURE 5 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 2 but illustrating the mannerof installing the channel members shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustratingthe application to a wall of a modified form of panel-ling memberembodying this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-3 of the drawings, there is shown an uprightwall, formed of wood or the like covered by horizontally arrangedstrip-like panelling members 12 embodying this invention. Each of themembers 12 is in the form of an extruded metal section, preferably ofaluminum, formed with a panel-like main body portion 14 having asubstantially plane uninterrupted surface 16 facing the wall 10. Themain body portion A 14 terminates, at its upper edge, in an edge portionthat constitutes a substantially flat coplanar extension 18 of the mainbody portion, as shown best in FIGURE 3. The extension 18 terminates ina square edge 20 and is provided thereadjacent and extending therealongwith a ridge 3,h85,367 Patented Apr. 16, 1963 22 projecting from thatside of the extension opposite the plane surface 16. The outer side ofthe ridge 22 is provided with an undercut portion. The undercut portionessentially defines a groove having a substantially plane flat side wall24 facing the extension 18. The other side Wall 26 of the groovepreferably is concavely rounded, as shown best in FIGURE 3. Outwardlybeyond the groove, the outer side of the ridge 22 preferably is roundedor bevelled, as at 28 (FIGURE 3).

Extending along the inner edge of the extension 18 in spaced parallelrelation to the ridge 22, and projecting from the same side of theextension as the ridge 22, is another ridge 30 substantially identicalto the ridge 22 but reversed relative to the latter so that the undercutside of the ridge 60' faces in the opposite direction. Between the tworidges 22 and '30, and parallel thereto, the extended portion 18 of thesection 12 is provided with a thickened portion having a groove 32extending therealong to serve as a locating and positioning guide forfastening elements, such as a screw 34.

Along its lower edge each section 12 is provided with a flanged edgeportion that is inclined outwardly, then downwardly parallel to the mainbody portion 14 of the section, and thence inwardly to terminate in aplane that constitutes an extension of the side of the main body portionof the section opposite the plane surface 16. The flanged portiondefines a channel 36 having flat diverging inner and outer side walls 38and 40 and a flat bottom wall 42. Somewhat inwardly of its upper edgethe inner side of the side wall 38 of the channel 36 is provided with aridge 4'4 having a flat side wall 46 facing the bottom of the channel36. The other side of the ridge 44 preferably is convexly rounded andcomplementary to the concavely rounded wall 26 of the groove in theridge 22. Adjacent its upper or outer edge, and extending along theinner side of the other side wall 40 of the channel 36 is another ridge48 substantially a duplicate of the ridge 44 but opposed to the latter.

In order to install the panelling sections 12 on a wall 10, which may beeither of wood or metal, there is first installed along the lower edgeof such wall a starter strip (not shown) which may be substantiallyidentical to the upper edge portion of each section, i.e., identical tothat portion of each section extending above the dotted line A-A shownin FIGURE 3. The starter strip may be installed horizontally by means ofwood screws 34 extending through pierced openings in the bottom of theguiding groove 32 of the strip. In this connection, it will be realizedthat the panelling can be installed just as readily on a metal wall oron a metal framework (neither shown) by means of sheet metal screws orby means of rivets or other appropriate fastening elements.

After the starter strip has been installed, the ridge 48 of the firstsection 12 is hooked under the lower ridge 30 on such strip with thesection inclined outwardly from the wall It), as shown in FIGURE 2. Thesection 12 is then moved to a vertical position and the channel 36forced inwardly so that the curved surface on the ridge 44 will engagewith the curved surface 28 on the ridge 22. and spread the channel sothat the engaged curved or bevelled surfaces will ride over each otheruntil the ridge 44 snaps into the groove in the outer side of the ridge22 in the position shown best in FIGURE 3. In this position of the partsit will be seen that the inner plane surfaces 16 of the sections 12 willbe substantially flush at the joint therebetween. The first section willthen be secured in place by means of fastening elements, such as thescrews 34, extending through pierced openings in the bottom of theguiding groove 32, similar to the fastening of the starter strip.

Additional sections 12 will be secured to the wall 10 progressivelyupwardly until the top section is reached. The upper edge portion of thetop section can be finished off by means of a channel-like completionstrip (not shown) substantially identical to the lower edge portion ofeach section, i.e., identical to that portion of each section extendingbelow the dotted line B-B shown in FIGURE 3. It will be seen that suchfinishing strip can readily be snapped into interlocking engagement withthe ridges 22 and 3t? on the uppermost panel member 12.

Although the panel members 12 have been shown as extending horizontallyin FIGURES 1 to 3, it will be realized that such members could just aseasily be installed in a vertical position. Furthermore, although themain body portion 14 of each section 12 has been shown as beingsubstantially planar and of uniform thickness, it will be realized thatvarious ornamental configurations can be imparted to both the main bodyportion and to the channels 36 of each section. For example, the mainbody portion 14 could be bowed outwardly in a convex formation, orvarious ornamental longitudinal ribs or ridges could be provided, in theextrusion process, on the outer sides of the main body portion 14 ofeach section, or on the outer sides of the side walls 38 and 4d andbottom 42 of the channel 36.

Referring next to FIGURES 4 and 5, there is shown an installation of thesections 12 in a reversed position, i.e., wherein the plane surfaces 16of the sections face outwardly of the Wall to present a substantiallyflat and uninterrupted planar surface and wherein the bottoms 42 of thechannels 36 are engaged with the wall 10. For

this purpose, the bottom 42 of each channel 36 also preferably isprovided with a thickened portion having a central fastener guidinggroove 59 extending therealong.

In assembling the panelling members 12 on a wall 1% in accordance withthe showing of FIGURES 4 and 5, a channel-like starter strip (notshown), substantially identical to the finishing strip of the FIGURES lto 3 installation, is first secured along the lower edge of the wallwith the interior of the channel facing outwardly. The spaced ridges 22and 30 on the lower edge portion of the first section 12 are thensnapped into place within the channel starter strip, as illustrated inFIGURE 5, and then the bottom wall 42 of the channel 36 along the upperedge of such strip is secured in place by fastening elements, such asthe screws 52, shown in FIGURE 5. The installation of the sections willthen continue from the bottom to the top of the wall it until the lastsection has been installed. The upper edge of the last section may thenbe finished otf, i.e., its channel 36 covered, by means of a finishingstrip (not shown) substantially identical to the starter strip of theinstallation illustrated in FIGURES l to 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 of the drawings, there is shown aninstallation, similar to that shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, but embodying amodified form of panel member 54. The outer side of each section 54 maybe embossed with a series of substantially uniformly-spaced,longitudinally extending shallow flat-bottom grooves 56 to provide anornamental effect. Additionally, it will be seen that the side walls 58and 60 of each channel 62 are substantially perpendicular to its flatbottom wall 64 and the spaced ridges 66 and 68 which cooperate withthose within each channel are likewise perpendicular to the extendedportion '70 of each section 54.

From an inspection of the showing of FIGURE 6, it will be readilyapparent that the panelling members embodying this invention lendthemselves to many and various modifications for ornamental purposeswhile retaining the essential interlocking features of the invention.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fullyand effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that theforegoing specific embodiments have been shown and described only forthe purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and aresubject to extensive change without departure from such principles.Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed withinthe spirit and scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. Wall surfacing panelling comprising at least two extruded sectionshaving panel-like main body portions terminating in edge portionsprovided with profile configurations adapted to be assembled intointerlocked engagement to form at least a portion of a panel, said edgeportion of a first of said sections including a channel of appreciabledepth extending therealong and facing outwardly of one side of said bodyportion of said first section and a pair of opposed locking ridgesextending along and adjacent the upper edges of the inner sides of theside Walls of said channel, the sides of said ridges facing the bottomof said channel being substantially planar and disposed at an angle ofthe order of to said channel side walls, said first section body portionbeing substantially flush and mergingwith the upper edge of one of saidchannel side walls, the edge portion of a second of said sectionsincluding a flat portion constituting an extension of said body portionof said second section and a pair of spaced locking ridges extendingalong said flat portion, the outer sides of said flat portion ridgesbeing undercut and generally complementary to said channel ridges andthe major distance between said outer sides of said flat portion ridgesbeing slightly greater than the minor distance between said channelridges, the construction and arrangement of said edge portions beingsuch that said flat portion ridges can be forced into said channel andspread the same until said channel ridges snap into the undercutportions of said flat portion ridges and firmly lock said sectionstogether against relative translational movement normal to the jointtherebetween.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the edges of the lockingridges of one of the pairs are bevelled for wedging engagement with theedges of the ridges of the other pair. 7

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the edges of the lockingridges of both pairs are bevelled for wedging engagement with eachother.

4. Wall surfacing panelling comprising at least two extruded sectionshaving panel-like main body portions terminating in edge portionsprovided with profile configurations adapted to be assembled intointerlocked engagement to form at least a portion of a panel having asubstantially flat uninterrupted surface portion on one side thereof atthe joint between said sections, said edge portion of a first of saidsections including a channel of appreciable depth extending therealongand facing outwardly of said one side of said first section, said bodyportion of said first section merging into the upper edge of a side wallof said channel and the latter being disposed entirely to one side ofsaid body portion, said channel having a pair of opposed locking ridgesextending along and adjacent the upper edges of the inner sides of theside walls of said channel, each of said ridges having a substantiallyfiat abutment surface extending therealong and facing generally inwardlyof said channel, the edge portion of a second of said sections includinga substantially fiat portion constituting an extension of the bodyportion of said second section and a pair of spaced locking ridgesextending along one side of said fiat portion, the outer sides of saidlast-mentioned ridges being undercut to provide substantially fiatabutment surfaces extending therealong and facing toward said flatportion, the major distance between said outer sides of said flatportion ridges being slightly greater than the minor distance betweensaid channel ridges and the edges of the ridges of at least one of saidpairs being bevelled for wedging engagement with the edges of the ridgesof the other pair, the construction and arrangement of said edgeportions being such that said flat portion ridges can be forced intosaid channel and spread the same until said channel ridges snap into theundercut portions of said flat portion ridges and the abutment surfaceson one pair of said ridges are in engagement with those on the otherpair to firmly lock said sections together against relativetranslational movement normal to the joint therebetween and with theother side of said second section flat portion substantially flush withsaid one side of said first section body portion.

5. Wall surfacing panelling comprising at least two extruded sectionshaving panel-like main body portions terminating in edge portionsprovided with profile configurations adapted to be assembled intointerlocked engagement to form at least a portion of a panel, said edgeportion of a first of said sections including a channel of appreciabledepth extending therealong and facing outwardly of one side of said bodyportion of said first section and a pair of opposed locking ridgesextending along and adjacent the upper edges of the inner sides of theside walls of said channel, the sides of said ridges facing the bottomof said channel being substantially planar and disposed at an angle ofthe order of 90 to said channel side walls, the edge portion of a secondof said sections including a flat portion constituting an extension ofsaid body portion of said second section and a pair of spaced lockingridges extending along said fiat portion, the outer sides of said fiatportion ridges being undercut and generally complementary to saidchannel ridges and the major distance between said outer sides of saidflat portion ridges being slightly greater than the minor distancebetween said channel ridges, the construction and arrangement of saidedge portions being such that said flat portion ridges can be forcedinto said channel and spread the same until said channel ridges snapinto the undercut portions of said flat portion ridges and firmly locksaid sections together against relative translational movement normal tothe joint therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,480,321 Clarke Aug. 30, 1949 2,786,556 Constance Mar. 26, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 799,166 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1958

1. WALL SURFACING PANELLING COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO EXTRUDED SECTIONSHAVING PANEL-LIKE MAIN BODY PORTIONS TERMINATING IN EDGE PORTIONSPROVIDED WITH PROFILE CONFIGURATIONS ADAPTED TO BE ASSEMBLED INTOINTERLOCKED ENGAGEMENT OF FORM AT LEAST A PORTION OF A PANEL, SAID EDGEPORTION OF A FIRST OF SAID SECTIONS INCLUDING A CHANNEL OF APPRECIABLEDEPTH EXTENDING THEREALONG AND FACING OUTWARDLY OF ONE SIDE OF SAID BODYPORTION OF SAID FIRST SECTION AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED LOCKING RIDGESEXTENDING ALONG AND ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGES OF THE INNER SIDES OF THESIDE WALLS OF SAID CHANNEL, THE SIDES OF SAID RIDGES FACING THE BOTTOMOF SAID CHANNEL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR AND DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE OFTHE ORDER OF 90* TO SAID CHANNEL SIDE WALLS, SAID FIRST SECTION BODYPORTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH AND MERGING WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF ONEOF SAID CHANNEL SIDE WALLS, THE EDGE PORTION OF A SECOND OF SAIDSECTIONS INCLUDING A FLAT PORTION CONSTITUTING AN EXTERSION OF SAID BODYPORTION OF SAID SECOND SECTION AND A PAIR OF SPACED LOCKING RIDGESEXTENDING ALONG SAID FLAT PORTION, THE OUTER SIDES OF SAID FLAT PORTIONRIDGES BEING UNDERCUT AND GENERALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID CHANNEL RIDGESAND THE MAJOR DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID OUTER SIDES OF SAID FLAT PORTIONRIDGES BEING SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE MINOR DISTANCE BETWEEN SAIDCHANNEL RIDGES, THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SAID EDGE PORTIONSBEING SUCH THAT SAID FLAT PORTION RIDGES CAN BE FORCED INTO SAID CHANNELAND SPREAD THE SAME UNTIL SAID CHANNEL RIDGES SNAP INTO THE UNDERCUTPORTIONS OF SAID FLAT PORTION RIDGES AND FIRMLY LOCK SAID SECTIONSTOGETHER AGAINST RELATIVE TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT NORMAL TO THE JOINTTHEREBETWEEN.